Gleaning and Gathering

This past weekend we hosted the Victory Acres Board and celebrated our 17th growing season at Victory Acres. We took time to recount some of the "God moments" in our history and to reflect on Matthew 7:7-11.

The paradigm of "church as Christian witness" is not as common as it should be. I'm still learning what it looks like. In this episode I'm sharing from, The Gospel: How the Church portrays the Beauty of Christ by Ray Ortland (from the IX Marks, Building Healthy Churches series) and my own experience about what God is teaching us in regards to "being church" rather than just "having church."

On the 21st Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks I believe that we need to be reminded of the bigger picture. Psalm 65 does that. "Though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet." This is still our Father's World!  If there is ever a day that we need to be reminded of this reality, it is now. God is still in control.

God's message to me this past week is one that I wanted to share with you. While there are many roads and truths in the Christian life, there is one central pathway. Ephesians 5:1-2 shows us that way.

At 23 years of marriage and 25 years since starting in Indianapolis, I am waxing nostalgic, but I'm also thinking about those who are coming behind me on life's trail.

Here are a few thoughts from David's life applied to some of the things that we are experiencing. What do you think are the opportunities in "Communities of Necessity?" How could you see us learning today from what David experienced here?

My reflections from a funeral and how "helping people" is not a one way street. Thinking about Psalm 68:6 and Isaiah 24 and 25. Bottom line? God wins!

Some experiences this past week got me to thinking about shepherding the hearts of those we are leading. I also share from the writings of George Mueller on the topic of rejoicing in adversity from Psalms 63.

Setting Goals that are "subject to smash." Some thoughts on setting goals while still remembering that we serve a Sovereign God who may choose to overrule our plans.

Today is the winter solstice, and I was reading my journal from 2020. We all go through dark times, and 2020 was dark for all of us. But in the middle of it all, I found the light of God's grace in my entry from August 18, 2020. It reminded me (and I wanted to share it with you) that no what you may be going through, God's grace is still more than enough.